SOMETHINC; ABOUT THE CYCLAMEN. 



/^ p^HE genus cyclamen, in Europe 

 commonly called Sow-bread, 

 from the fact that the acrid 

 stems are greedily eaten by 

 swine, is a near relative of the primrose. 

 Beside the beautiful favorite flower of 

 the window garden and greenhouse, the 

 Persian species, through which it is, 

 p)erhaps, known more widely than any 

 other, the genus contains a quite lengthy 

 list of hardy kinds not so widely dissem- 

 inated. By English growers of fine 

 Alpine plants these are much prized, 

 and well they may be, for there is, as a 

 whole, no more attractive group in the 

 whole range than that comprised in this. 



Fio. 1620.— Cyclamen HKDEBiEFOLiUM. 



The necessaries for success in open 

 air culture are protection from dry, cut- 

 ting winds, a rich, friable soil, good 

 drainage, covering in the winter ; still 

 bearing in mind that because some 

 species are hardy is no reason why they 

 should thrive in exposed situations. 



For planting in rockwork, not too 

 high, in warm, shady borders, they are 

 of much value, and a choice collection 

 in full bloom is a sight not easily for- 

 gotten. The most luxuriant growth in 

 their native haunts is noticeable among 

 broken rocks, under the shade and 

 friendly protection of low bushes and 

 the hill corpses. While, in general, 

 with high culture plants are improved in 

 point of blooming and habit of growth 



Fig. 1621.— Cvclamkx Nkapolitanum. 



from the original type, the conditions of 

 growth are essentially the same as in the 

 old form, and to this the cyclamen is no 

 exception. 



There are two general classes or divi- 

 sions made, regulated as to time of 

 flowering, viz.: the fall-blooming sec- 

 tion, of which C. A/n'canum, C. hede- 

 r(f folium, (ivy leaved cyclamen,) C Nea- 

 politanum and C Pyrnaicum are good 

 representatives, and the spring flowering 

 class, prominent among which are 

 C. Atkinsii C. Coum, C. repandum 

 C. vernum. 



Though the growing of cyclamen in 

 the open air may not be so desirable or 

 practicable in this country as in the old 

 world, we can expect them, nevertheless, 

 to stand as much frost as the English 



Fig.— 1622.— Cyclamen Vkrnum. 



Primrose ; hence will survive with the 

 same amount of winter protection. 

 With out door cultivation undesirable, 



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